Man cleared of attempted murder, but not robbery

Published 10:01 pm, Monday, November 12, 2012

TROY — A jury found a 17-year-old city man guilty of assault and robbery for a drug-related armed robbery last year but cleared him of the top charge of attempted murder.

A jury in Rensselaer County Court last week found Rahcief Lyree Collier of Mary Street guilty of first-degree assault, four counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree attempted robbery and one count each of criminal use of a firearm in the first- and second-degrees. Jurors found him not guilty of attempted murder in the second degree.

Collier and his co-defendant, Levon V. Newell, 19, tried to rob two people during a drug deal in 2011 near Prospect Park. Collier allegedly shot one person in the arm during the incident.

A jury later acquitted Newell of attempted murder, assault and weapons charges but convicted him of first-degree robbery and attempted first-degree robbery. He received 15 years in prison. Collier's sentencing is Dec. 5.